Process of forestalling leakage in concrete reservoirs



EUGENE onnn, or LAnKnnsr-fira, canines-n1.-.

No Drawing.

My invention relates to reservoirs for the storage of water which are constructed of concrete or similar material.

it is a purpose of my invention to provide an extremely simple and inexpensive process by which. a concrete reservoir can be tested as to possible cracks and contracted joints and such cracks or oints repaired, thereby forestalling leakage and foundation damage when the reservoir is in actual use.

1 will describe only two processes of forestalling leakage in concrete reservoirs enibodying my invention, and will then point out the novel. features thereof in claims.

In carrying out my preferred process, I pump cold Water as rapidly as possible into a concrete reservoir just newly completed, and while the concrete is still in a hot or semihot condition as a result of the solar rays. It is desirable to place large blocks of ice in the water during the filling of the reservoir in order to maintain the temperature of the water as low as possible at all stages of filling.

By reason of filling the reservoir with cold water the temperature of the concrete is suddenly and greatly lowered, thereby causing rapid contraction of the concrete. Should there be any structural defects in the concrete or at the joints between the slabs where the reservoir is constructed they will manifest themselves in the form of cracks or by pulling the joints apart to the utmost width because of the sudden and severe contracting of the concrete. Thus all of the defects are instantly revealed, and by now effecting dewatering of the reservoir with sutficient rapidity to prevent any great amount of water escaping through the cracks or joints and the consequent damage to the foundation thereof, the cracks and open joints are exposed and accessible for repair.

The repair of the cracks or joints may be effected in any suitable manner so as to seal them against the passage of water therethrough. The method set forth in my c0- pending application Serial No. 138,457, filed September 29, 1926, may be employed. As the concrete rapidly expands when the cold water is once removed the cracks and joints rapidly close and are not Visible even with the aid of a microscope. Hence it is necessary to mark the cracks and oints, preferably with chalk, and before applying the sealing compound the cracks and oints are first opened with a chisel to afford l-shaped of slabs of concrete,

Application filed. November 11. 1926'. Serial No. 147.838.

joint that will give the compound an oppor tunity to make an effective water seal in the cracks.

With the cracks and joints repaired, it will be manifest that when the reservoir is in actual use and subjected to various temperature changes, the concrete will crack along the same lines as the cracks revealed in the testing operation, and likewise those joints will open which opened during the operation. However, because of the fact that these cracks and joints have been iealed against leakage it will be manifest that no leakage can occur.

If it is desired to forestall leaks in only the floor of the reservoir this may be effected by the following process: cracked ice is introduced into the reservoir in a sufficient quantity to cover the floor thereof. To this ice may be added a suitable quantity of rock salt so as to form a brine and thus increase the chilling effect of the ice. This brine is allowed to remain on the floor an hour or more, during which time the desired contraction of the floor is effected to produce all possible cracks or separations of the joints. Following the removal of the brine the cracks and open joints can be treated in the same manner as described in connection with the first process.

Although I have herein described only tWo processes of forestalling leaks in concrete reservoirs, it is to be understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The herein described process of producing cracks in concrete reservoirs, which consists in subjecting the walls of the reservoir to the violent action of a chilling agent to suddenly lower the temperature of the reservoir material with a resultant separation of the reservoir material at the weak places in the reservoir construction and to thereby produce cracks therein and permit of detection of structural weakness of the reservoir before wat .r is introduced to the latter for commercial purposes, enlarging the cracks thus produced and in filling the cracks with a sealing compound.

2. The herein described process of producing cracks in concrete reservoirs and for re pairing said cracks, which consists in subjecting the Walls of the reservoir to the action of a. chilling agent to suddenly lower the tem perature of the reservoir material with a resultant opening up of the Weak places in the reservoir material so as to purposely produce cracks therein and in the subsequent filling of the cracks With a crack sealing material, prior to an introduction of Water to the reservoir for commercial purposes.

3. The herein described process of producing cracks in concrete reservoirs at structurally Weak points therein and before Water is introduced to the reservoir for commercial purposes, Which consists in subjecting the Walls of the reservoir to the action of an agent for causing contraction of the material at the Weak points therein and to cause same to open up and produce detectable cracks, enlarging the cracks thus produced so that their Walls converge relatively in a downward direction, and in filling the cracks With a sealing compound.

EUGENE R. ODEN. 

